1971 War Hero Who Lost His Eyesight Gets Pension After 44-Year Fight

Last Updated:September 01, 2025, 14:46 IST

The court upheld Sham Singh’s right to War Injury Pension, rejecting government delay claims and affirming benefits for his widow Karnail Kaur after decades of struggle

Punjab and Haryana High Court grants war injury pension to Sham Singh.

In a significant judgment, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld the rights of a 1971 Indo-Pak war veteran, ruling that soldier Sham Singh, who lost his eyesight during the conflict, was entitled to a ‘War Injury Pension’. The court dismissed the Centre’s stand that Singh’s claim was delayed, calling such reasoning unfair to those who sacrificed their health in the nation’s defence.

The bench of Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi and Justice Vikas Suri observed, “The government itself should come forward and give benefits to such soldiers who put their lives and health at stake while protecting the country."

The 1971 Blast That Changed His Life

According to a Times of India report, Sham Singh was grievously injured in December 1971 when a Pakistani bomb exploded during the war. Shrapnel and heavy smoke from the blast caused permanent blindness. Just over a year later, on January 22, 1973, he was discharged from the Army. Disabled at a young age, Singh lived the rest of his life in hardship, struggling without the support that should have been extended to him.

Despite his war injuries, Singh was denied the benefit of a war injury pension after leaving the Army. The Centre argued that he applied for the pension far too late – 44 years after his discharge – and pointed out that his earlier request had already been rejected by the Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions). The authorities maintained that granting benefits after such a long delay would be against the “limits of law".

The High Court found this stance unacceptable. “It is wrong to expect a soldier, who lost his eyesight while protecting the country, to apply again and again," the judges observed. They further stressed that Singh’s injury was a direct consequence of military service and could not be treated as separate from it. The bench added that the government had a duty to act on its own and ensure benefits were extended, warning that failure to do so “underestimates the sacrifice of the soldiers".

Earlier, on August 23, 2023, the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), Chandigarh Bench, had directed that Sham Singh be paid war injury pension covering the period from January 22, 1973 to January 21, 1975. Thereafter, he was to receive regular service pension for life until his death on May 19, 2021. Following his passing, his wife, Karnail Kaur, was deemed eligible for a “liberalised pension".

The Centre challenged this ruling, but the High Court dismissed its petition and affirmed the AFT order.

With the High Court’s intervention, Sham Singh’s family has finally received recognition and relief after nearly half a century of struggle. The judgment sends a clear message, the court said: if a soldier is unaware of the benefits due to him, it is the government’s responsibility to ensure those rights are delivered, even without a formal application.

Location :

Chandigarh, India, India

First Published:

September 01, 2025, 14:46 IST

News india 1971 War Hero Who Lost His Eyesight Gets Pension After 44-Year Fight

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